Confirmation, Call, and Conviction:

The Power of Story and Conversation

Alicia Lambert and Rev. Ryan Hall

Lakeroom South

How do we help our students have a life-changing experience of Confirmation? Our time with our teens is so limited and the needs of our world are so great. How can we utilize the consecrated time of confirmation to help our youth grab hold of the idea that God has a call on their lives and help them feel the deep conviction to pursue that call right now and beyond? Across the six weeks of our confirmation journey we use seven stories for seven men and women from the Bible to illustrate what the call of God is like. Using dynamic storytelling with memorable illustrations we help teens develop a clear picture of how the Spirit works in the lives of people like Deborah and Jael, Gideon, Esther, and more, and how the same Spirit is calling them to live purposefully. Conversations have power. We develop a culture in our youth ministry where the students open up about their fears, dreams, failures, joys, and other deep knowings of their souls. They learn to trust the group that hears them and prays for them. They develop an understanding that God truly loves them as they are and that the call of God is a call for them right now. The group realizes there is an expectation of openness, honesty, and loving appreciation for each other that removes barriers to growth and helps them hear God in themselves and each other. Learn how to provide confirmation classes in a way that doesn’t feel like a series of classes. Learn the art of transformational storytelling and conversation to help our students find their purpose and pursue it.

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WHY WORSHIP MATTERS: Discipling Through Worship

Rev. Nelson Cowan, PhD

Lake Room North​

Worship REALLY MATTERS, ya'll! In this session we will discuss the role worship plays in the discipleship journey from childhood to senior adulthood. Join Rev. Nelson Cowan, PhD and members of the Institute for Modern Worship leadership team as they discuss WHY worship matters.

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Funding the Future: Grants & Fundraising for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries

Ed New, Elena Nicholas, and Cindy Burmann

Lakeside Extension

Grant funding can be a game-changer for children, youth, and family ministry—but it’s rarely quick or easy. This workshop will offer a realistic look at what it takes to find, apply for, and manage grants, along with practical tools to help you succeed. We’ll also talk about the importance of intentional, ongoing fundraising to sustain ministry beyond grant cycles. If you're ready to put in the work to better resource your ministry, this session will help you take the next step.

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You Never Walk Alone

Rev. Scott Smith and Dylan Reed​

Roadside Extension

Great youth and kids ministries don’t happen by yourself. They thrive when the whole church is in it together. This seminar is about helping youth leaders build real, working partnerships with their pastors. We’ll talk about how to keep your pastor in the loop, invite them into what’s happening, and create moments where they can show up in ways that actually matter to your students and kids. Whether your pastor is already hyped about Next Gen or has no clue how to connect, you’ll leave with simple tools to make the relationship stronger and your ministry better because of it. This won't suck.

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